> You're correct, I have only ever used it
> or seen it used for vehicle tracking...
> I've got an old ... GPS ... but what
> current reasonably priced mobile radio
> (preferably dual band) would you suggest...
There are many ways:
1) The KWD D7 or Yaesu VX8R HT's have built in APRS and are dual
band and great for handheld satellite communications.
2) The D700 and new D710 mobiles have larger displays and are
50W dual bands.
3) Or you can add an APRS display to any radio using either the
HAMHUD or the RC-D710 Display unit (this is simply the D710 APRS
control head (sold separately) so that it can be connected to
any radio (all APRS functions and TNC are built into the head.
See www.aprs.org/D710-HT.html which shows the display head
connected to an old $88 HT.
4) Or you can always connect any old radio/tnc/PC combo, or
these days, many programs can use sound card TNC's so no
hardware other than a radio and PC are needed.
Once the kenwood radio integrated everything back in 1998, I
have not used a mobile laptop since, but can still see all
surrounding APRS activity...
And information.
Good luck!
> Robert Bruninga wrote:
> >> I guess your idea must have some merit
> >> but I've never seen/known anybody to drive
> >> around monitoring APRS beacons.
> >
> > Interesting... but that is what APRS was designed to do. To
be
> > an information exchange, distribution and display system for
> > mobiles.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I fear you have been missled into the
incorrect
> > view of APRS as a "vehicle tracking system" which has
nothing to
> > do with what it was designed for. APRS was around since the
> > 1980's and GPS was only folded in in the 90's when they
became
> > cheap enough. But tracking GPS modiles is only a small side
> > benefit of having full tactical situational awareness, Local
> > Frequency recommendations,
> > Satellite's-in-view/frequencys/doppler, global messaging by
> > callsign and global email text messaging from the front
panel of
> > your APRS radio.
> >
> > Its because of the proliferation of tracking devices that
has
> > misslead most casual observers into only seeing maps of
> > vehicles. If that's all they see, they are not seeing the
local
> > info displays that the APRS radios present to the mobile
> > operator.
> >
> > Kenwood has been abismal in their full page ads, because
they
> > never show any of the local info displays! They only show a
> > dual band radio, mention APRS and GPS in the text, and leave
the
> > missinterpretation up to the 98% of readers who have never
> > experienced APRS...
> >
> > Another local NET that should be advertised to mobiles is
> > whenever an AMSAT net is in progress. Just send out the
beacon
> > and do not be surprised if your fishing brings in some
mobiles
> > from other frequenceis checking into the net...
> >
> > Please see the web page on these misconceptions:
> > www.aprs.org/APRS-tactical.html
> >
> > Bob, WB4APR
> >
> >> Robert Bruninga wrote:
> >>> Therefore, a TNC should be connected to
> >>> the Retransmitter that activates an APRS
> >>> beacon on the local APRS channel whenever
> >>> it is keyed. This APRS beacon will alert
> >>> all mobiles on the front panel of their
> >>> APRS radios in range that the retransmission
> >>> is in progress.
> >
> >
> >
>>> --
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
> <><><><><><>
> Nigel A. Gunn. G8IFF W8IFF (was KC8NHF)
> 1865 El Camino Drive, Xenia, OH 45385-1115, USA 937 825 5032
> e-mail nigel at ngunn.net www http://www.ngunn.net> Member of ARRL, GQRP #11396, QRPARCI #11644, SOC #548,
> Flying Pig #385,
> Dayton ARA #2128, AMSAT-NA LM-1691,
> AMSAT-UK, MKARS, ALC
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
> <><><><><><>
>